Can Strong Magnetic Fields Push White Dwarfs Beyond the Chandrasekhar Limit?

[Chronos]

This paper, New mass limit for white dwarfs: super-Chandrasekhar type Ia supernova as a new standard candle, http://arxiv.org/abs/1301.5965, discusses the possibility of white dwarfs achieving super-Chandrasekhar masses due to strong magnetic fields. It is proposed as a candidate explanation for peculiar type Ia supernova. It implies type Ia supernova as standard candles may be of questionable reliability at high redshift, where spectroscopic distinction between normal and peculiar type Ia supernova is less easily achieved.

 

[Drakkith]

That's pretty cool.

 

[phinds]

Very interesting. Thanks for posting. Be interesting to see what more comes from this.

 

[Mordred]

Good article thanks for posting it

 

[pmacias]

This paper presents an interesting and potentially groundbreaking theory regarding white dwarfs and their role in type Ia supernovae. The idea that strong magnetic fields could allow white dwarfs to reach super-Chandrasekhar masses is intriguing and could have significant implications for our understanding of these events.

If this theory is confirmed, it could challenge the reliability of type Ia supernovae as standard candles, particularly at high redshifts where it may be more difficult to distinguish between normal and peculiar type Ia supernovae through spectroscopic analysis. This could have an impact on our ability to accurately measure distances and cosmological parameters.

Further research and observations will be needed to fully explore and validate this hypothesis. If it is found to be true, it could open up new avenues for studying white dwarfs and their role in the universe. Overall, this paper presents a thought-provoking idea that warrants further investigation.